MELAKA: Structural engineers will be called in to investigate claims of damage at about 300 houses at the century-old Kampung Tengkera Pantai here, says Mayor Datuk Zainal Abu.
He said Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) would investigate if any structural cracks are related to an ongoing high-rise residential project in the area.
"We will hold the developer responsible if the damage is caused by them," he said on Wednesday (Jan 12).
Zainal also said he was scrutinising all documents relating to the project approval and the piling method used.
He said the approved method was an injection pile technique to avoid soil movement.
Residents claim that structural cracks appeared at the houses after the project started a few years ago.
One of the villagers, Mansor Ayed, 65, said his house is located about 20m from the project site.
He said the residents' woes started in 2019 when construction for the project began.
Retired teacher Zabariah Baba, 60, said she inherited the house in the village from her parents.
"This village has been here for close to 100 years and we are facing so much hardship now," she said.
Village headman Harun Ali said 10 complaints on the matter had been lodged with the relevant authorities since 2019.
"We hope that the state government will look into our predicament," he added.
